American Heart Association releases response to e-cigarette report

The Surgeon General’s report, titled “E-Cigarette Use Among Youth and Young Adults,” examined the use of e-cigarettes in people under the age of 25 in the United States.

“The Surgeon General’s call to extinguish e-cigarette use among young Americans deserves high praise and fervent support,” American Heart Association CEO Nancy Brown said. “This first-ever federal report on vaping products puts a stamp of validation on what our association has been saying for years: the use of tobacco by our young people — no matter what form it takes — demands our urgent attention. The actions we take today will help protect young lives from being tragically lost to cardiovascular disease: our nation’s number-one killer.”

The use of e-cigarettes is increasing among youth under 25 while the use of other tobacco products is on the decline. Part of this increase is due to a relentless pursuit of new users at younger and younger ages by the e-cigarette industry, including using celebrity endorsements, cartoons and suggestive themes in ads which catch the eye of young people.

However, the final tobacco deeming rule, released in May 2016, will help discourage young people from using tobacco so long as the Trump administration and new Congress preserve the rule.

The American Heart Association plans to work with the new administration to help develop laws and programs to give Americans, young and old, the opportunity to live tobacco-free.